Despite the recent election of boards of various sports federations (sports governing bodies), nothing has really changed. We are known to be ingenious about changing 'ogas at the top', but never bother to correct fundamental structural defects that impede real development in sports. Of course, there will be lots of the usual expression of confidence in newly elected officers and optimism for the future of each sport. But, as we have seen time and again, any positive expectation may be short-lived because sooner than later it may be business as usual.
It is so unfortunate that issues that must be addressed are still being conveniently sidestepped despite reminders in 2011 and 2012, and there is no indication that we are committed to charting a new course. That is why with only three years to the next Summer Olympic Games in Rio 2016, we are likely, as usual, to underachieve. And if we do not begin to take corrective measures now, the 2020 event (in only seven years' time) may be equally depressing.
Although sports federations are the legitimate bodies to administer, promote, and develop their respective sports, none governing any Olympic sport in Nigeria is properly run. This is not a reckless generalisation, but a factual statement. They are all tied to the apron-strings of the'National Sports Commission (NSC)' whose functions, powers and limitations are not defined by law leaving it hamstrung by whimsy of officials that run it. By the way, of all the Olympic sports, only football is controlled by an Act of the National Assembly which specifically states that its governing body is an association.
What a legally defined and progressive NSC should do is to formulate Sports Policy and ensure its implementation; develop sports infrastructure and facilities including an up-to- date National Institute for Sports (NIS), and oversee their regular maintenance. It is, however, no secret that private sector participation is not keenly sought to avoid any serious financial audit process. And it is not by accident that public funds are usually disbursed late: an emergency situation makes profligacy more excusable.
The challenge is how to use provisions from government and the private sector to achieve all-round excellence. The answer is systemic or structural reconstruct to remove government's domineering posture over federations and induce public confidence in management by institutionalising transparency and accountability.
Accordingly, federations should be incorporated as organisations limited by guarantee under the Companies and Allied Matters Act. A positive implication is that those who have nothing to offer but only want to feed on the sports bodies may not find membership to be sufficiently alluring.
Once they are structured on a platform of openness and inclusiveness, the stage would be set to access available broad-based funding opportunities. Even though the organised private sector takes cognisance of its social responsibility, its main objective is the production of goods and services for the maximisation of profit. It is therefore to be expected that corporate-image considerations and the ability of sports to facilitate the realisation of the financial aspirations of shareholders would determine the availability of funds from this sector. Fortuitously, the corporate world is aware that nothing is probably as effective a tool to boost corporate image and sales as sports.
As a mass participation activity for the promotion of good health and consistent with the Child's Rights Act, 2003, and the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act, 2004, funding of sports at the grassroots would mainly be the responsibility of government and to a large extent, Parents/Teachers Associations. Currently, the Universal Basic Education Commission, the National Sports Development Fund, the State Universal Basic Education Boards, the National Universities Commission, and the Education Trust Fund, are available but grossly underutilised sources of funding up to tertiary level.
But, as bodies charged with the responsibility of developing and promoting their respective sports, federations have a pivotal role to play at every stage. In order to put the funds from the aforesaid bodies to maximum use, the federations must be organised and run more efficiently.
Bearing in mind that all over the world most elite athletes emerge from tertiary institutions, there is greater reason to fully utilise the funding opportunities at this level. Accordingly, a National Tertiary Institutions Sports Trust Fund should be set up with key private sector representation on its Board of Trustees to efficiently harness funds for the development of sports in tertiary institutions.
At the apex elite level where the best athletes to represent Nigeria exist, a restructured Team Nigeria Sports Trust Fund Limited by Guarantee with the majority of its board drawn from the organised private sector would be best suited to partner with the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) to ensure purposeful participation in continental and world championships. Proceeds accruing to sports from the National Lottery Trust Fund should be available to Team Nigeria Sports Limited by Guarantee in collaboration with the NOC, federations, and the NIS for the preparation of Nigeria's elite athletes for international competitions.
Not many Nigerians know that international sports organisations like the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIFA, etc. give periodic grants to the respective sports governing bodies that are affiliated to them in Nigeria. Of course, because of the pervading 'keep everything in the closet' mentality, no public disclosure is made about such grants or how they are utilised. Rather, the familiar but false refrain is that there is paucity of funds for sports.
It is no secret that in an efficiently run system, media and television rights command enough income to make government funding probably superfluous. 'Partnership' with teams and 'branding' of sports facilities also fall in the same category. Talking of 'branding' one wonders whether it cannot be used to address our poor maintenance culture in respect of public facilities. Take the National Stadium, Lagos, for instance. Can't we negotiate with a corporate body to 'brand' it, say, for the next 25 years on the condition that it is consistently kept in good repair befitting its status?
For Nigeria to finally step across the threshold to sports excellence, all hands must be on deck. As can be seen, there are numerous funding opportunities at the disposal of sports governing bodies. One of the first innovations, however, should be an Olympic cycle four-year rolling plan and budgeting system with in-built bi-annual review mechanism. In the final analysis, organising and running sports governing bodies as parastatals of a government ministry can no longer be tenable.
